A SINGLE SERVER QUEUE IN DISCRETE TIME.

Abstract : In a number of queueing problems it is worthwhile to treat time as a discrete variable; both for conceptual and for computational reasons. The paper contains a basic example of a single server queue in discrete time. The time dependent behavior of the queue is analyzed in terms of a bivariate Markov chain. In a lengthy introduction potential applications and computational advantages of this model are discussed. In the final section of the paper the M/G/1 model with group arrivals appears as a limiting case of the present model. (Author)